Through It All
by Fawn89
Summary: AU fic. Jack and Kate have been best friends since the age of four and realised their love for each other 4 years ago. Will their love survive the events that threaten to tear them apart?


Title: Through it all (AU)

Rating: M

Authors: Megan & Vicky

Pairing: Jack/Kate

Summary: Jack and Kate have been best friends since the age of four and realised their love for each other 4 years ago. Will their love survive the events that threaten to tear them apart?

Warnings: Some language and sexual references

Status of fic: WIP

Author's Notes: This is our first fic together. Chapter one was written by both of us but all the other chapters will be written by one of us alternately. Also most fluff will be Vix whereas jangst & jex will be me (in theory...)! Reviews appreciated as is constructive criticism!

Disclaimer: We don't own Jack & Kate yada yada…..

**Through it all**

**Chapter 1**

_What if I had never fallen over?_ The question resurfaced, tormenting her once again as she ran her fingers through her wet curls. _Even at the tender age of four he was there to pick me up, there to be my hero. One fall; the beginning of an eternal friendship- and love._ She squeezed the moose onto her hands and began to scrunch the curls she used to hate. She had insisted on straightening out her curls for years, but Jack adored them, so she had stopped for him. Usually she didn't use moose- the natural look being what Jack loved most, but tonight was different, was special. _Four years, eight hours and sixteen minutes/I she calculated after looking at the clock. IWhat took us so long? Sixteen years of close, inseparable friendship before we realised it was more; before we realised it was love. Counting to five had been the only thing that forced the fear out, allowed me to look straight into his piercing eyes and reveal to him what had been revealed to me only moments before. If he had never taught me how to control my fear would love ever have been confessed? Jack is the reason I no longer need to run so surely I would have been able to tell him…eventually. Given the chance he may have told me first- given in to his feelings, been forced out of denial and sacrificed the need to protect me in the necessity to tell the truth- the whole truth. Four years on things would be perfect if only-_

Kate was torn from her thoughts by the sound of crashing around and grunting downstairs. _Wayne is back...No doubt already drunk but still pouring more down his throat._ A familiar hatred rose within her. Once again it threatened to take over, to consume her until in the hold of such a severe emotion she ceased to be the good person that Kate Austen truly was. She had no words to describe the intensity and depth of her loathing of her step-father, but she knew that she would never be able to forgive all the wrongs he had done her and her mother. Part of her sometimes thought she deserved it, but her mother was a good person. She resented her ma for leaving her father and replacing him with Wayne, hated her for letting him get away with causing so much pain to them both.

"KATIE!" She heard him shout for her using the name only one person was allowed to use. Jack said it with love, adoration and all that he felt for her. Wayne said it with anger, resentment, maybe hatred, but there was something else there too….more subtle, but it didn't escape Kate- it was longing, a sexual craving that sickened her. He desired her soft flesh against his, the feeling of being inside her, of being in control, not making love to her but satisfying his want.

Taking one last look at herself in the mirror, she put her long diamond and emerald earrings Jack had bought her for their first anniversary in, grabbed his present and quietly began to descend the staircase in an attempt to escape unnoticed.

"Ahhh there you are beautiful….Now why are you all dressed up then eh? This all for my benefit? You sure are one pretty girl" He reached his hand towards her, reeking of alcohol as usual.

"Go to bed Wayne. It's not for you, it's never for you. I'm going out"

Anger became apparent on his face, "You're seein him aren't ya? That man of yours…"

"I'll be back tomorrow morning Wayne" she replied stepping towards the door, not caring what he thought, just desperate to see Jack.

"Oh I see….Well he can't have ya. I won't have no girl of mine sleepin at a fella's house. You're stayin here tonight I say so" he grabbed her wrist, pulling her away from the exit and back towards him.

"Get off me! You can't tell me what to do Wayne! You're not my father! You don't care about me! When have you ever given a s about me? You can't treat me like s and then have the right to demand anything of me! I'm 24- I can make my own decisions!"

"And he's 28…much too old"

"You're more than double my age, but it never stopped you! I'm going to see Jack and you just try and stop me you selfish, desperate son of a bitch!"

His hold on her wrist became tighter, as he glared down at her, "Oh I can stop you alright. You know very well who's in charge here Katie. It's me- it's always been me. Why do you need to go to him? What does he have to offer that you can't get in this house eh? Why is he so much better?"

"Because he loves me! Because he cares! Because he doesn't hurt me, use me and make me cry! He's there to pick me up when I fall and he's not the one who pulls me down! He makes me feel safe, needed, wanted! Because with him I don't need to run, I can stay and let him in and allow myself to love him back!" She had let her guard down, revealed too much, shown him where she was vulnerable, but right now she didn't have the time to care.

"You're both in love eh? That's sweet Katie- real sweet, but you know it won't last. You don't deserve happiness, you don't deserve him. You're a bad person Katie and bad people don't get no good in life. They suffer, they are punished, they-"

She couldn't take his bull any longer. She knew the consequences but still her hand made contact with his cheek. In his drunken state, the impact was enough to knock him off his feet, his face now shocked as well as angry. Before he had time to react, to fully process what had just happened and respond, she had left. She ran into the cold and wet of the night, running to the only place she felt safe- in Jack's loving embrace. He was always there for her, always there to save her from the events that threatened to tear her apart.

----Flashback----

_Have to get away… why would he do that _Kate ran down the road, her tears unseen as they became one with the rain that was pouring heavily. Her feet ached, she had just run out the house not caring about a coat, not caring about shoes, just needing to escape. _She didn't even try to stop him… it only happened because I helped her. _She came to Jack's front door, _so weak, _she knocked on it loudly. She heard someone running down the stairs; they opened the door. _Thank god it's Jack, so tired. _She collapsed in his arms.

"Katie?" He fell back and held her, she was crying, and soaking wet. His mother walked into the room, she saw Kate's drenched figure in her son's arms. She knew it wasn't her business, but she got a towel to warm Kate up.

Holding her to him, Jack took her into the living room and laid her down on the couch, gently stroking her head.

"Katie? Katie what happened? Talk to me please- I'm here."

She chocked back more tears; the look on her face broke his heart.

"I tried to stop him… but he… she…" She looked at him, her eyes full of hurt. "Wayne...he...he...I can't...I can't!" She knew he knew, but he didn't question her further, allowing her to just cry in his arms, letting out all the hurt, all the pain. She didn't need to say it, to talk it through; she only needed him. Her vulnerable body shivered as he held her, still cold from the harsh rain.

"Katie, we need to get you dry clothes." She tried to argue. "If you don't you could catch pneumonia." She nodded.

They got some clothes sorted out for her.

"I'm not going back…I can't."

Jack's mum sat with them.

"You need to Kate." She said sympathetically.

"Not tonight…Don't make me go back tonight." She stared at Margot. "Please." The emotion was clear in her voice, more tears threatened to fall.

"Ok. I'll call your mum." Once again Kate wanted to argue I_she deserves to be worried/I, _"Kate, she deserves to know you're ok." Kate reluctantly nodded.

Jack wrapped his arms around her.

"You should get some sleep." He whispered in her ear.

"I don't think I'll be sleeping tonight."

"Me neither"

They lay on the sofa in Jack's room fully clothed, his embrace soothing her, protecting her from the scenes that threatened to play back in her mind. She felt his breath became soft and steady against her neck, sending a shiver down her spine that had nothing o do with the cold. She smiled to herself. _Not gonna fall asleep eh? _His regular breathing calmed her, and slowly she too drifted into a peaceful sleep in his arms.

----End Flashback----

Her past plagued her thoughts. Wayne had always tried to ruin her time with Jack, that being the main reason she never invited Jack around to her house…

She arrived at Jack's home and got her own set of keys out of her bag. Before she could put the key in the lock Jack opened the door.

"Hey Honey." He kissed her lips gently, but she grabbed his neck and deepened it kissing frantically, tears starting to pour down her face. Jack broke away gasping for breath, his expression concerned as his looked into her tear-filled eyes trying desperately to read her.

"Hey, hey, what's all this? Baby what happened?" he questioned, pulling her to him.

"Please Jack I don't wanna talk, let's just eat"

"You need to let it all out first Katie- screw dinner" he pulled away from her to lead her into his living room.

"No Jack screw me" she said seriously looking into his eyes, pleading.

"Kate come on this isn't the time" he said taken aback by how forward she was being, her request seeming so inappropriate.

She pulled him back to her, placing her hands on his cheeks, she pulled his ear towards her mouth and whispered, "Jack I need you, I want you. I don't wanna talk, so just make love to me Jack. I know you want it as much as I do" She sucked on his ear lobe and he moaned as he felt himself slowly relenting to her requests.

Flesh to flesh, lips on lips, lips on skin. Entwined, joined, together how they were meant to be. Both where they belonged, gently showing how much they loved the other. His touch, his kiss, his love, healing her- repairing the damage and mending the old wounds that had been reopened.

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Jack's alarm went off. He shifted to get up and realised Kate was sleeping on his chest; she looked so peaceful when she slept. He didn't want to wake her up, but he knew he had to.

"Katie." He whispered in her ear and nudged her gently.

She groaned.

"Do we have to get up?" She said groggily.

I'm afraid so." He kissed the top of her head. "Kate."

"Yes." She had closed her eyes again.

"You need to get off me." He laughed slightly and she groaned again. "If you don't… I'm going to have to make you."

"I'd like to see you try." She challenged. He smiled to himself. He ran his hand up her side and started tickling her.

Her eyes opened and she started to laugh, he didn't stop.

"Stop it Jack!" She grabbed a pillow from the other side of the bed and hit him on the head with it.

He stopped; she turned over and kissed him. "I love you."

"I love you too." He looked at her. "We should get dressed."

"Why?"

"Because we need to get you home."

She frowned. "Do I have to?"

"Yes"

"Why can't I just stay here?" She placed her arms round his waist, pulling him to her and burying her face in his chest.

"Why don't you want to go home Kate?" He asked, stroking her chocolate curls.

She looked up at him. "I kind of left Wayne lying on the floor"

"You did what!"

"Well... he was... never mind." She turned away from him, starting to get out of bed.

"He was doing what Katie?" he pulled her back to face him, forcing her to look at him again.

"What does Wayne usually do Jack?" she sighed, her expression revealing her inner hurt.

"I'm sorry baby I should have realised"

"I'm scared of what's going to happen when I go home."

"I'll be there Katie"

"I know but it's after you leave that I'm worried about." A tear falls onto Jacks chest. "For god's sake... I'm scared of him and I'm 25 this year. I'm scared of him because of something he did overten years ago."

He pulled her into his arms rocking her gently as she let the tears flow, pouring her soul onto his bare chest.

"He's not going to hurt you anymore okay? I'm gonna make sure of it." He held her face in his hands.

"You can't say that Jack… you can't be there all the time."

"I could be." He whispered into her ear.

"How"

"You could move in with me. That way you will be safe."

"That's sweet Jack but he knows where you live... you'll be at work sometimes... and-" Jack cut her off.

"Shhh... we'll figure it out. Kate I want you to move in so I can protect you... I also want you to move in because I love you... and I want to spend as much time with you as possible."

She looked at him for a moment. The love in his eyes was genuine, something Kate had only seen in his eyes before. She'd never seen it in her mother's eyes before; it was almost as if her mother felt as if she had to love her. She nodded.

"Okay... I'll move in with you."

"You sure?" he looked at her questioningly.

"Yeah I'm sure" she placed her hand around his neck, bringing his lips down to meet his. He kissed back with all the love he felt for her, slipping his tongue in gently to meet hers, as their lips moved against each other and the passion of the kiss intensified. The kiss became more desperate, needy, and their hands uncontrollably travelled across exposed flesh. Jack felt himself beginning to stiffen.

"Erm baby" he said pulling away, "As much as I would love to stay in bed and make love to you all day (she raised her eyebrows at the words 'all day'), we need to get dressed and get your things"

She nodded reluctantly into his chest, savouring he feel of his naked skin. He kissed her forehead and then started walking towards the bathroom. She sat back down on the bed and sighed.

He turned around, "Well you coming?"


End file.
